That's the advice President Barack Obama gave schoolchildren Tuesday in a speech that drew fire even before he delivered it.

"We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems," Obama said. "If you don't do that – if you quit on school – you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country."

The president delivered the talk at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va., a Washington suburb. The speech was broadcast live on C-SPAN and on the White House Web site.

At Southern High School in Durham, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson watched and discussed the speech with students. Other cabinet members held similar events across the country.

"Education is an equalizer. It starts each and every one of you in the same place," Jackson told the Southern High students.

A New Orleans native who earned a degree in engineering, she said she hoped to set an example for some of the students.

"If I'm lucky, I'll inspire a couple of them to say, 'Hey, that could be me some day,'" Jackson said.

She said she picked Southern High to watch the speech because of its engineering focus, including a "green club."

"The technologies of tomorrow – the green technologies – require that these kids invest in themselves now," she said.

"I never thought in a million years that small Southern, (which) has such a bad reputation, would get such a big, influential person," senior Kristen Watkins said.

Obama told the students that all the work of parents, educators and others won't matter "unless you show up to those schools, pay attention to those teachers."

His talk raised the ire of several conservative organizations and individuals, who accused him of trying to pitch his arguments too aggressively in a local-education setting. White House officials, including Education Secretary Arne Duncan, called the allegations "silly."

Obama made no reference in his speech to the uproar surrounding the talk. Nor did he make an appeal for support for tough causes like his health care overhaul plan. He used the talk to tell kids about his at-times clumsy ways as a child and to urge them to set goals and work hard to achieve them.

"At the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents and the best schools in the world," Obama said. "And none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities."

Watkins and fellow Southern High senior Tiffany Carson said students needed to hear the president's message.

"I feel like a lot of people don't take education as seriously as they should," Carson said. "I wanted to cry for a moment (during the speech) because I feel like I am in history."

"It was very inspirational, exactly what we need just to get things started," Watkins said. "I really just need to push hard and go for the top."

Some conservatives called on schools and parents to boycott the address.

Wake County allowed individual schools to decide whether to show the speech to students. The school district received about 40 complaints about the speech, spokesman Michael Evans said.

Some schools allowed parents to opt out of the activity and have their children do something else while the speech was broadcast, while others used an opt-in approach with parents sending letters to schools asking that their children be allowed to see the speech, Evans said.

All schools in the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro school districts showed the speech, and the districts received few complaints, officials said. Many Durham County schools also showed it without complaint, officials said.

Cumberland County Schools taped the speech because testing was already scheduled during that time, and officials said principals have the option to play the recording for students on Thursday.

Jackson said parents who read the text of the speech, which the White House released Monday, or listened to it themselves likely realized quickly that there was nothing controversial to the president's message.

"I think, as people are reading it ... they're saying to themselves, 'What was the controversy after all?'" she said. "The president of our country wants to speak to our kids in public schools and say, 'Listen, work hard. Stay in school. Set goals for yourselves.' There's nothing political about that."

Duncan's department also took heat for proposed lesson plans distributed to accompany the speech.

The education secretary acknowledged that a section about writing to the president on how students could help him meet education goals was poorly worded and was changed.

Obama left the students with some words of encouragement.

"I expect great things from each of you," he said. "So don't let us down, don't let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it."

Tired of thoughtlessnessSep 9, 2009

Professor,You are killing me with your grammar, and you telling others to go back and get an education. I think the topping is your screen name being Professor!

LyleSep 9, 2009

Hey Louise4, If you heard it on Rush's show, it must be true! LOL

time4realSep 9, 2009

how about the parents "taking responsibility" and be prepared for the school board election in less than 4 weeks! There is a district 9 school board candidate forum today at noon. Care to tell them where wral? instead of moaning and groaning about a "history" speech, do something about education today and see who wants to make the decisions for your children and what they stand for!

jaredgSep 9, 2009

so they didn't show this at my son's school yesterday. i wish he could have seen it at school with his classmates, but I plan on having him watch it at home. it was an encouraging speech.

vote4changeASAPSep 9, 2009

Yes kids, stay in school and get an education so you can attend college, earn a formal degree that will qualify you to make a good salary so the government can tell businesses what they can make, cap your salary, insinuate that you are the rich and elite because you make over $250,000 per year so in the end the government can tax and punish you for the efforts I ask you to make today.

Good speech Obama.

HanginToughSep 9, 2009

It wouldn't matter if we had proof - as you seem to be getting the kool-aid through an IV...the war...got no problem w it...no terorrist attacks since 9/11...11 trillion in debt in nine months! That I do have a problem with...bailouts of banks, auto makers...raises taxes...you know taxes for those of us that WORK and DONT live off the governement...maybe he should have said that in his speech...hey you kids whose parents sit on their behinds and collect a "scheck" aka free lunch, WIC FREE healthcare when you are CAPABLE of holding a job do it! Oh and PS PULL UP YOUR PANTS but no that didn't happen...cause it would offend his voting base - Teachers teach our kids EVERY DAY to take responsibilty for their education but if they aren't getting it at HOME then a 20 minute speech from the poser in the white house will not make or break em' - That 20 minutes was needed to help teach the EOG since we all know that is the only reason our kids go to school - IN THE END - MY CHILD-MY CHOICE!

blackdogSep 9, 2009

It is reassuring that the majority of parents aren't paranoid to allow their children listen to the president speak. Someone respectable needs to encourage kids to achieve. Many parents don't.

workingforthosethatwontSep 9, 2009

now ya'll listen to me. i know what is good for you. i have spent the money that would have been your future, so now you have no choice but to become slaves to the gov't. now sit down and be quiet.

issymayakeSep 8, 2009

I think if this keeps up, people will migrate to states' that keep their rights. These are the states that will prosper.

Our state gov't and some local gov'ts are completely corrupt. Just look at the leaders the last couple of years. Look at Durham. Now the state is run by these durham crooks. The media enables them. MarcoPolo

lol . . . only two members of Perdue's cabinet have any Durham ties, and those are loose at best (they received graduate or professional degrees) here.

Durham is quite alright, looking good and growing.

As far as the rest of you moving to states that refused the stimulus money, by all means, don't let us stop you. If that isn't far enough, Canada and Mexico will take you. You don't have to use their health care systems though. After all, no reason to be made a hypocrite.

Southern GirlSep 8, 2009

Did anybody listen to Rush today?

Why did Obama's mom have to "school" him at 4:30 am. She wasn't even working at the time, and his step-dad had some cushy job.

That was all a bunch of bull, so to speak.

Obama cannot be trusted. He'll say anything he needs to say at the given time.